After graduating college with a degree in religion and a minor in African studies, I moved to New York and spent a year covering real estate and events, primarily for the New York Observer. I felt it was time for a change, and am relocating to Senegal, indefinitely. I'll record forthcoming West African exploits here.

Five Reasons Anne Lauvergeon is Still the Bomb

It’s been one year since Anne Lauvergeon left her post at France’s state nuclear energy company, Areva. After a decade at the helm of the corporation, former French president Sarkozy did not renew her contract. Fondly referred to as “Atomic Anne” in the American press, Ms. Lauvergeon remains a potent political figure in Europe. At the Women’s Forum in Sao Paulo Brazil, Ms. Lauvergeon gave us five more reasons to love her.

1) She’s an Optimist (or rather, she’s “not too pessimistic”)

When asked about the fate of Europe, she had a positive outlook. “I think that Europe has something like three months to find, to appropriate arrangements to fix the significant issues, but I’m not too pessimistic,” she said. Despite some economists’ concerns, she isn’t terribly worried about Portugal either. “They are very dynamic, they work a lot,” she said of the Portuguese. “You know they have the kind of political consensus around ‘OK, we are entering into a new phase which is going to be difficult, but we are going to work more,’ so I am more optimistic for them.”

2) She’s Diplomatic about the Grexit

Discussing Greece, however, she was more reserved. “I think for Greece it’s obvious that it’s much better to remain in Europe, and to remain in the Eurozone,” she said, without divulging her personal opinion on the subject. “It’s very complicated,” she concluded with a slight sigh.

3) She Keeps her Friends Close

With typical French hand waving and facial expressions, she described her thoughts on the new French president, her friend Francois Hollande. “I think he will be an easier partner for the other European countries,” she said. “I have known him for twenty, twenty-two years something like that.” While rumors have been swirling about a possible cabinet appointment, Ms. Lauvergeon has told the French press she has no interest in another government job.

4) She Does a Mean Sarkozy Impression

“It’s good to find smart compromises,” she said, discussing how Hollande’s political approach differs from Sarkozy’s, “He’s going to be much more easier than Sarkozy who is by definition…” she paused, molding her lips into a Napoleonic sneer and furrowing her brow,“I Am.” An apt description of the former president’s presence and ethos, indeed. Ms. Lauvergeon made headlines earlier this year when she accused Sarkozy (a week before the first round of the French presidential elections) of trying to sell a nuclear reactor to former Libyan strongman Mummar Gadafi.

5) She has Faith in the Developing World

“Angola, Mozambique, Senegal,” she began. “You are going to see that in Africa, the growth also is back, around 5%.” Ms. Lauvergeon plans to continue investing in Africa’s industrial sector. “When you start to explpoit resources more in a systematic way with the right constituency of local people, you have more growth, and when you have more growth you have more transportation, more logistics.”

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